Samsung to sell faster version of Galaxy S 4

Samsung plans to release a new version of its Galaxy S 4 smartphone that will be able to download data nearly twice as fast as the current model.

Samsung plans to release a new version of its Galaxy S 4 smartphone that will be able to download data nearly twice as fast as the current model. (Samsung)

Salvador Rodriguez

Samsung said it plans to offer a new version of its Galaxy S 4 flagship smartphone that will be able to download data at about twice the speed of the current version.

The tech giant revealed to Reuters that an advanced, faster version of its GS4 model will launch in South Korea as early as this month. The company is also in talks to sign up carriers who will support the device in other parts of the world, but the Reuters' report did not say when the device will launch in the United States.

Using technology called LTE-Advanced 4G, rather than the 4G LTE networks used now, the upcoming version of the GS4 will cut down the time it requires to download movies from three minutes to one minute.

The speedy device would be the latest variant of the GS4. Recently, the company has also unveiled versions of the GS4 that feature a smaller screen and size, a better camera and one version that is built for the outdoors.

The rugged version, officially called the GS4 Active, went on sale by AT&T online last week.

Samsung sold more than 10 million units of the GS4 worldwide in just its first month of sales, and now the South Korean company is hoping to boost sales of the device by launching different versions that target niche consumer groups.